Reasons To Visit The Philippines
The Philippines is home to world class diving among dazzling marine life. There are coral gardens, caves, deeply plunging undersea walls and isolated coral seamounts offering wall diving, wreck diving and muck diving. Every form of underwater life can be seen including whale sharks, turtles, manta rays and dugongs.
Festivals in the Philippines are plentiful. Every town has a patron saint, and each of these has its own feast day and there are also bigger week long parties like Ati-Atihan in Kalibo. Easter is also a big event in this predominantly christian country.
With over 7,000 islands there are mile of coastline in the Philippines. Away from the popular beaches of Boracay and Cebu there are a range of quieter spots especially in the Southern Visayas and around Palawan.
There are more than 100 cultural minority groups in the Philippines, and around half of these have unique linguistic cultures. The most well known are the Ifugao, and their culture is alive and well around the rice terraces of Banaue.
Most of the Philippine islands feature volcanic mountains, several of which have been increasingly active since the 1980s. The most accessible are Mount Pinatubo which last erupted in 1991 and Taal volcano one crater of which erupted in 1977.
Request a Brochure
Southeast Asia
Manila, the capital of the Philippines has plenty to offer such as the Intramuros, one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial city centres. You can even try the local taxis, or 'Jeepneys'.
Highlights of the tour include Rizal Park, named after the national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal and Intramuros (walled city) where you can see the remains of the Spanish conquistadores. You also go along the old cobbled streets to visit San Augustin Church, the oldest stone church in the country.
Once at the falls, you have the option of relaxing in the sun on a rock or going for a swim in the plunge pool. Some people have enjoyed being taken out on a bamboo raft in order to get behind the falls.
14 days from £3,345pp
19 days from £3,275pp
14 days from £2,340pp
32 miles away
161 miles away
191 miles away
229 miles away
257 miles away
Further reading:The PhilippinesWhen to GoItinerary IdeasPlaces to GoThings to DoAccommodationAbout The PhilippinesCountry Guides
Other countries in Southeast Asia:BorneoBurmaCambodiaIndonesiaLaosMalaysiaPapua New GuineaThailandVietnam